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Writing About the Library
When writing about the library, assume that your audience knows nothing about our organizational structure.
To help make it clear the information is coming from the U-M Library, be sure to use shared visual elements and follow the library’s voice and tone guidelines.
Our identity
The following agreed upon names and styles are appropriate for referring to the library:
- University of Michigan Library
- U-M Library
- The library
Use library when it’s clear from context and branding that you mean U-M Library specifically, or one of its specific locations. On the library’s website, this is appropriate in most cases. We discourage unnecessary capitalization, which includes library when referring to it informally.
Do not use: U-M Libraries, UM Library, or MLibrary.
Our legal name is the University Library of the University of Michigan. That's a mouthful, but it may be required for legal documents. Please avoid using the shortened University Library in public communications.
Specific libraries and locations
The U-M Library is made up of multiple library locations and collections. Use the full name of the location on first use. For secondary references, consider general terms such as the library or the archive or the collection.
Acronyms are bad for readability, and they can confuse people.
University library locations
- Art, Architecture, and Engineering Library (AAEL)
- Asia Library
- Askwith Media Library
- Biological Station Library
- Buhr Building
- Clark Library
- Computer and Video Game Archive (CVGA)
- Fine Arts Library
- Hatcher Library
- Museums Library
- Music Library
- MLibrary@NCRC
- Papyrology Collection
- Shapiro Library
- Special Collections Research Center (SCRC)
- Taubman Health Sciences Library (THSL)
Independent libraries and collections
See our list of other libraries and collections.
Providing attribution
When providing attribution to the library for items in our collection, photographs, sponsorship, and other external engagement, cite the "University of Michigan Library."
Image courtesy of the University of Michigan Library.
For sponsorship of exhibits, events, and awards, credit U-M Library rather than the name of an individual division, department, or unit.
Mention of the respective division, department, or unit can still be included in the full text description when it provides information that will be useful, such as where materials are located, where an event is taking place, how to find more information online, and how to contact a specialist or curator.